Also Okay
by Stessa
Summary: Joey's thoughts about his relationship with Rachel, and her relationship with Ross.


_Hi, long time no see. It's been some time since I posted a Friends fic, but I haven't had any ideas. I've been busy with a lot of Disney fics though, such as High School Musical, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, and all that jazz. Anyway, you probably don't care, so… This is Joey's thoughts about his relationship with Rachel, and Rachel's relationship with Ross. I dunno if it's any good, but please do read? And also, those of you who have read my old Friends stories, I've really gotten better at the whole writing thing since then, so my new stories are much better! _

_**Disclaimer; **I don't own Friends.

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**Also Okay**

So she moved in again.

It was weird having her here, because in some screwed up with, she wasn't the Rachel I used to live with. She had changed. Not because she'd had a baby, and suddenly had to grow up, but it seemed like… living with Ross had matured her in some way. I wasn't sure if I liked it, but she was here now anyway.

I know I told Ross my feelings for her were gone, but it was a tiny little lie. What he don't know can't hurt him, right? And he'll never, ever know that I'm still deeply in love with her. It's not like it's gonna happen anyway.

Rachel probably wants to be with Ross, so she can give Emma a family. And I know Ross wouldn't say no to that, if it was staring him in the face. He'd do anything for Rachel, he always has wanted to. Some things never change, and it's good that it is that way. Rachel deserves a guy like Ross, a guy that can treat her good.

Not a guy like me.

I'm not pitying myself or anything, I'm just realizing the truth. So maybe I could get together with Rachel, and we'd without a doubt, have plenty of fun, and really hot sex, but… After some time I'd probably lose interest. I hate to say this, because she's one of my best friends, but… I'm Joey. I'm a two-timer, and I know it myself.

So when she and Ross moved away from each other, or broke their weird relationship up, or whatever you call it, I was determined not to do anything with Rachel, to Rachel or for Rachel. I'd just be good old Joey. The guy to come to with problems and such. The guy she could count on for a hug, when she needed it, and the guy who would always listen, though he probably wouldn't understand a word of what's being said.

So we had some good times, after she moved in again. Some better than others. I hated those times when she would steal Hugsie for Emma, because Hugsie is mine, and no-one should dare to take it away from me! But we also had fun. A lot of fun.

And then I met Charlie.

Charlie was great. She was everything I needed to get over Rachel. She was beautiful, hot, and so unlike Rachel personality-like, that it was sure not to go wrong. We had fun together, and it seemed like Rachel and she was getting along great.

Oh, how wrong I was…

Turned out, Rachel had started to fall for me too. Maybe not as hard and fast as I fell for her, back when she was pregnant with Emma, but she still started falling.

I caught her along the way. In Barbados. She told me how she felt, well, she helped me realize, that I should realize what was going on, but still… She told me. We had a good talk, and it seemed like everything was great, because I told her it couldn't happen.

I could never do that to Ross. He was one of my best friends, and even though he told everybody that him and Rachel were totally over, and just friends, I knew it was a lie. I could see right through him. I knew how he was feeling, and it hurt me if we hurt him, so I couldn't risk hurting him. I couldn't risk my friendship.

But even though I shot Rachel down, we somehow ended up making out in her hotel room on her bed. It told myself I did it for the right reasons, and I know I did, because I liked her _a lot_. But seeing Ross kissing Charlie started something inside me, and I didn't know what it was. Suddenly I didn't care if we hurt Ross by being together, because he'd just hurt me, so I figured it was okay for me to have Rachel.

He couldn't claim both of them, that was for sure. And if he said anything to me, Charlie would leave him.

So we tried dating, and Ross told me he was okay with it, though it seemed to hurt him. But I ignored it, and Rachel and I ended up breaking things off after two weeks anyway. Some things just aren't meant to be.

Then I dated other girls again, and became my natural Joey, while living with Rachel and Emma. Rachel didn't really have a lot of dates. She spend most of her time with Emma, when she wasn't at work. And work took a lot of time too. I could tell she was a bit sad that Ross was still with Charlie.

I couldn't tell if it was because she was jealous, and wanted to be in Charlie's shoes, or if she just wanted a relationship like that. It confused me for awhile, but then I let I slide. I shouldn't mess up in her personal life. I know I'm her friend, but some questions are a little too close.

But then Ross and Charlie broke up. I could tell that Rachel really was sorry for him, and felt bad, but I also sensed a certain happiness in her eyes, that hadn't been there before. So I suspected that maybe we'd have a Lobster reunion, but it never came.

And suddenly Rachel was moving to Paris with Emma, and everything was coming along so fast, I lost track of time. The only things I really noticed, were Ross being sad, and Rachel's packing.

Ross didn't want her to move, and he wasn't the only one. None of us really wanted to see her go, but at some point we realized that maybe that was what would make her happy, so we should let her. And we eventually came around the idea. Monica and Chandler were sad that she wouldn't be there when they had their babies, and Phoebe was sad, because she couldn't visit. They still wouldn't let her have a pass port.

I just knew I was gonna miss her a lot. We had a weird friendship. In some way, I think we were closer than Chandler and I. But then again, you can't compare those two friendships, because they were very different. What I had with Rachel was craziness, reading lines and eating weird stuff. She never made fun of me, and I was gonna miss her a lot.

And at the night for her Going Away Party, we were all bummed, but who could blame us? She said goodbye to each of us individually. I took it pretty hard. I was ready to jump off the balcony, but lucky for me, Rachel pulled me down, and brought me inside with her. I can't thank her enough for that.

She didn't say goodbye to Ross though, and we all found that a little weird. So he went over there to talk to her, and none of them came back to the apartment after. We were all confused, but we thought that maybe she was just yelling at him – a lot.

Turned out, they were sleeping together. Now, when I found out about it the next morning, I wasn't hurt or anything. I could for once say that I _was_ completely over her. No hard feelings between me and Ross. And he deserved her. So even though they looked at the night in two very different ways, it all ended great.

Phoebe's crazy taxi-driving, Ross' sweet words and Rachel's rushed decision, is the reason we're all gathered together today.

We're celebrating the happy couple, who just got married. _Finally_, after 10 years. I have Alex by my side, and I'm not jealous at all. Ross and Rachel are meant to be. You could tell that by their background, all the things they've been through.

And as they cut the cake, laughing and smiling, I knew it worked out for all of us. Even me. It would probably have been wonderful to be with Rachel, but I got my Alex, and she got her Ross.

And somehow, that was also okay.

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_Yada, yada, yada. Now it's time for you guys to leave me a review and tell me if you liked this. I don't know if I'll be writing more Friends stories soon, but if I do; it'll probably only be one-shots, since I have a ton of stories going on right now. I also have a few ideas, so we'll see, kay? I'll love you forever, if you leave me that review. Hugs, Stessa ;p_


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